Apparatus for detecting and correcting torsion of travelling fabric

ABSTRACT

An apparatus comprising a detecting unit for detecting the torsion of a travelling fabric and a correcting unit for correcting the torsion detected by the detecting unit. The detecting unit has a working surface for detecting operation positively driven in sliding contact with the surface of the fabric longitudinally thereof. The positive sliding motion of the working surface assures the detection of the torsion of the fabric with high sensitivity and accuracy to permit the correcting unit to correct the torsion with greatly improved efficiency.

Unite States atent [191 Tsuchida 1 1 June 4, 1974 [54] APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND 2,248,962 7/1941 Cook 57/1 UN CORRECTING TORSION 0 TRAVELLING 2,390,923 12/1945 Cormier, Jr.... 57/1 UN FABRIC 2,759,324 8/1956 Dean 57/1 UN 2,836,012 5/1958 Moorhouse et a1. 57/1 UN [76] Inventor; Isamu Tsuchida, 3,693,336 9/1972 Bassami 57/1 UN l-24-Koazahiroshiki, Azaooyamasaki, Ooyamaski-cho,

- Prima ExaminerJohn Petrakes Otkh- ,Kt-f,.1

0 u l gun yo 0 u apan Attorney, Agent, or Firml-lall 8L Houghton [22] Filed: Mar. 27, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 345,352

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Forflgn Application Pnomy Data An apparatus comprising at detecting unit for detecting Mar. 31, 1972 Japan 47-32991 the torsion f a travelling fabric and a correcting unit Apr. 20, 1972 Japan 47-46813 for correcting the torsion detected by the detecting unit. The detecting unit has a working surface for de- [52] US. Cl. 57/1 UN, 26/1, 57/34 R, tecfing operation positively driven in sliding Contact 73/158, 73/159 with the surface of the fabric longitudinally thereof. [51 lltt. Cl D066 29/00, G011 5/00 The positive Sliding motion of the Working Surface [581 F'eld of Search 1 34 R; 26/1 sures the detection of the torsion of the fabric with 26/52 54 66; 73/158 160 high sensitivity and accuracy to permit the correcting I unit to correct the torsion with greatly improved eff":- [56] References Clted ciency UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,117,603 5/1938 Dungler 57/1 UN 7 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 4 I974 SHEET 3 0f 8 IIII PATENTEDJUM 4mm 3813862 SHEET 5 OF 8 Fig. 6 B

' PATENTEDJun 4:914

SHEET 6 OF 8 W W W APPARATUS FOR DETECTING AND CORRECTING TORSION F TRAVELLING FABRIC This invention relates to improvements in an apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of travelling fabrics, more particularly to improvements in an apparatus for detecting and correcting the irregular torsion of a fabric when it is sent to a processing machine such as a fabric spreading apparatus, the fabric being generally twisted rightward or leftward into the form of rope when knitted or woven.

Usually, an apparatus of this type includes a pulley disposed at an elevated position for travelling the fabric upward and then downward, a torsion detecting unit positioned at one side of the pulley to oppose the descending fabric, and a torsion correcting unit positioned at the other side of the pulley to oppose the ascending fabric. The detecting unit includes a detecting element having a serrate torsion detecting surface and pivotally supported at a definite position where the descending fabric passes. By virtue of the travel of the fabric alone, the surface of the fabric comes into sliding contact with the working surface of the detecting element. Thus the helical projections formed in the surface of the fabric due to torsion come into contact with a plurality of projections in the working face of the detecting element, permitting the detecting element to detect the torsion of the fabric, whereupon the detecting element moves pivotally rightward or leftward in accordance with the'direction of torsion of the fabric and closes a switch disposed in proximity to the detecting element to rotate a reversible motor of the correcting unit in the normal or reverse direction.

However, the torsion detecting unit of the type wherein the detecting element is disposed at the definite position has the drawback of being incapable of detecting the torsion of fabric accurately because of the following reason. Generally, the torsion of a fabric which has been sent to the position of the detecting unit is subject to the action of a fabric spreading apparatus of the subsequent process and is pushed backward, so

I that the advance of the torsion will be substantially stopped. Consequently, the detecting element will not operate in response to the torsion of the fabric, failing to achieve a reliable torsion detecting operation.

The main object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric including a torsion detecting element which is not located at a definite position but which has a working surface adapted to be positively moved along the surface of the travelling fabric in sliding contact therewith so as to detect the torsion of the fabric with high sensitivity and reliability all the time even when the advance of the torsion is prevented under the influence of fabric spreading operation of a spreading machine subsequently provided and to thereby assure correction of the torsion.

The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric comprises a detecting unit for detecting the torsion of the travelling fabric disposed at a position where the fabric passes and a correcting unit for correcting the torsion of the fabric positioned in the rear of and spaced apart by a required distance from the torsion detecting unit and located at another position where the fabric passes. The detecting unit includes a torsion detecting element having a working surface which is movable positively along the surface of the travelling fabric in sliding contact therewith longitudinally thereof and switch means by which a drive motor for the torsion correcting unit is rotated in the direction to correct the torsion, the switch means being adapted to be closed in response to the detecting operation of the torsion detecting element. The torsion correcting unit includes a rotary member for rotating fabric embracing means leftward or rightward.

Accordingly, the positive sliding movement of the working surface of the torsion detecting element on the surface of the travelling fabric assures detection with much higher sensitivity and reliability as compared with the conventional apparatus described, permitting the apparatus to function properly for the detection of torsion even if the torsion of the fabric no longer advances under the fabric spreading action of a fabric spreading machine subsequently disposed. Thus the present apparatus detects any torsion of the fabric all the time and corrects the torsion as intended.

For a better understanding of this invention, further description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation schematically showing the apparatus of this invention in its entirety;

FIG. 2 is a front view schematically showing the apparatus in its entirety;

FIG. 3 is a plan view partly in cross section showing a torsion detecting unit; v

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating a torsion detecting element with its working surface in sliding contact with a fabric;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views respectively showing other embodiments of switch means for actuating the switch of a motor for a torsion correcting unit in response to the movement of the torsion detecting element;

FIG. 7 is a view in vertical section showing the principal parts of the torsion correcting unit;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line VIIIVIII in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation schematically showing another embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus being shown in its entirety;

FIG. 10 is a view in vertical sectionshowing the principal parts of two torsion correcting units included side by side in the apparatus of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a schematic plan view showing another drive means for the two torsion correcting units; and

FIG. 12 is a view illustrating two kinds of torsions which are given by the two torsion correcting units to a portion of the fabric extending between the two units and which can be mutually eliminated.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus of this invention comprises a transport member in the form of a pulley A mounted on an upper frame for travelling a fabric F upward and then downward toward a fabric spreading machineD of subsequent process, a detecting unit B disposed at one side of the transport member to oppose the descending fabric F for detecting the torsion of the fabric F, and a torsion correcting unit C positioned at the other side of the transport member to oppose the ascending fabric F.

As seen in FIG. 3, the torsion detecting unit B comprises a torsion detecting element including a disc 3 made of a metal sensitive to magnetism and mounted on the drive shaft 2 of a motor 1 equipped with a reduction gear so as to be movable in the axial direction by means of a key groove, switch means for rotating a drive motor in normal or reverse direction in response to the movement of the detecting element which motor is provided for the torsion correcting unit to be described later, and guide means for passing the fabric F through a specified position.

The torsion detecting element including the disc 3 has a working surface provided by a brush 4t composed of bristles extending radially from the periphery of the disc.

The switch means includes metal sensors 5 and 5 disposed at the opposite sides of the disc 3 to sense the torsion detecting axial movement of the disc 3 and two relay circuits 6 and ti for rotating the drive motor of the torsion correcting unit C in normal or reverse direction in response to an output signal from the metal sensors.

The guide means for the travelling fabric comprises a guide plate it formed with a longitudinal slot 7 at its center and having an arcuate cross section suitable to prevent the deviation of the fabric from its course of travel and a pressure plate llfll opposing the guide plate 8 and pushed toward the guide plate 8 by a spring 9. The periphery of the brush a forming the working surface for detecting torsion projects into the slot "7 to contact the surface of the fabric travelling between the guide plate 8 and pressure plate W. The working surface is driven by virtue of the rotation of the disc 3.

As shown in N68. 7 and 8, the torsion correcting unit C comprises means for embracing the travelling fabric and rotary means. The fabric embracing means includes a plurality of pushers ill arranged at the same level radially of the fabric to be treated, plates 12 formed at the inner ends of the pushers lll respectively for embracing the fabric, andspn'ngs l3 accommodated in the rear portions of the pushers it to push the plates 12 toward the center of the arrangement and thereby embrace the fabric F. The rotary means is composed of a cylindrical rotary member lid in the form of a pulley which accommodates therein the embracing means and which is surrounded and rotatably slidingly supported by the inner peripheral face of a cylindrical support lid, with balls 15 interposed therebetween. The cylindrical rotary member 114 is coupled to the shaft of a reversible motor if by a belt it? to turn the fabric rightward or leftward.

The foregoing embodiment of this invention operates in the following manner.

When the motor l is driven to rotate the working face of the torsion detecting element in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the fabric F at a suitable speed, the working surface, i.e. the periphery of the brush t comes into positive sliding contact with the surface of the fabric F longitudinally thereof against the travel of the fabric. If a twisted portion of the fabric F enters the detecting unit in this state, the periphery of the brush 4 positively engages into a helically twisted groove in the fabric to accurately detect the torsion, with the result that the disc 33 is forced rightward or leftward in accordance with the direction of the torsion in the fabric. Consequently, the disc 3 slidingly moves rightward or leftward on the motor shaft 2 to approach either one of the metal sensors 5 and S, whereupon the metal sensor which has sensed the approach of the disc 3 emits a signal to close one of the relay circuits 6 and 6 associated with the sensor and rotates the motor 18 of the torsion correcting unit C in normal or reverse direction. The cylindrical rotary member M therefore rotates rightward, causing the embracing plates 12 to tum the fabric F in the direction to correct the torsion to effect correction.

Accordingly, the torsion of the fabric F can be de tected with high sensitivity and accuracy by virtue of the positive sliding movement of the working surface of the detecting element on the surface of the fabric. Thus even when the advance of the torsion in the fabric is impeded under the action of the subsequently disposed fabric spreading machine l), the present embodiment.

operates without failure unlike the conventional apparatus to detect the torsion of the fabric with accuracy and to correct the torsion as intended all the time.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6, other different types of the switch means to be incorporated in the torsion detecting unit will be described.

The switch means shown in FIG. 5 comprises a pair of pneumatic sensors and a pair of microswitches. Each of the sensors comprises a cylinder 23 having an inlet 2i and an outlet 22 for compressed air and provided in its interior a diaphragm 24 to which one end of a rod 26 is secured. Normally, the rod 26 is pushed toward the outlet 22 by springs 25. The other end of the rod 26 is adapted to be forced outward. The sensors are respectively disposed at the opposite sides of the torsion detecting element comprising the disc 3, with their outlets 22 spaced apart by a required distance from the peripheral side faces of the disc 3 to oppose the same respectively. The microswitches 27 are disposed in the rear of the rods 26 and spaced apart therefrom by a desired distance respectively.

if the torsion of the fabric shifts the disc 3, for example, leftward as illustrated causing its peripheral side face to close the air outlet 22 of the sensor on the left, the compressed air supplied into the cylinder 23 through the inlet 21 inflates the diaphragm 24 to the left and pushes the rod 26 leftward against the spring 25, so that the rear end of the rod 26 closes the microswitch 27 on the left to rotate the torsion correcting unit in the direction to correct the torsion as already described.

The switch means shown in FlG. 6 comprises a pair of sensors composed of photoelectric devices and a pair of relay circuits. The photoelectric devices are disposed at the opposite sides of the disc 3 respectively. Each of the photoelectric devices includes a light projector and a light receiver positioned above and below the flange-like projecting portion of peripheral wall of the disc 3, with the projecting portion positioned therebetween, the arrangement being such that when light projected from the projector 31 of the photoelectric device at one side is blocked by the peripheral wall of the disc 3 and is not received by the receiver 32 at the same side, the receiver 34 of the photoelectric device at the other side will receive light from the projector 333.

if the torsion of the fabric shifts the disc 3, for exarnple, toward the left as illustrated, the projecting portion of the disc wall interrupts the light receiving operation of the photoelectric device on the left, whereas the photoelectric device on the right functions to close the relay circuit 35 on the right and rotates the torsion correcting unit in the direction to correct the torsion as already described in detail.

FIGS. 9, it), if. and 112 show an embodiment of this invention which partially differs from the embodiment described in that, in addition to the torsion correcting unit C in the foregoing embodiment, there is provided another torsion correcting unit C between the fabric transport member A and the torsion detecting unit B. The torsion correcting unit C corrects the torsion of the fabric detected by the detecting unit B, and the correcting unit C operates to nullify a torsion produced by the correcting operation of the correcting unit C in a rear portion of the travelling fabric.

The torsion correcting unit C additionally provided in this embodiment is disposed between the transport member, i.e. pully A and the torsion detecting unit B opposing the descending fabric at one side of the pulley A. The other torsion correcting unit C is disposed at the other side of the pulley A to oppose the ascending fab- Although the torsion correcting units C and C have basically the same construction as the torsion correcting unit included in the embodiment previously described, they have a peculiar drive mechanism inasmuch as they are adapted'to be driven by a common motor 41.

Cylindrical rotary members 42 and 42 in the correcting units C and C are rotatably supported by the inner peripheral surfaces of two cylindrical holes 44 and 44 formed in a support 43 with balls 45 interposed there between. The cylindrical rotary members 42 and 42 carry therein fabric embracing means designated at the same reference numerals as in the foregoing embodiment and have cylindrical members 46 of a smaller diameter extending upward. Bevel gears 47 and 47 fit around the cylindrical members 46 and 46 respectively and mesh with bevel gears 49 and 49 mounted on the opposite ends of a shaft driven by the motor 41 through a power transmission belt 48. Thus the correcting unit C is rendered rotatable in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the correcting unit C. More accurately, the opposite direction referred to above means the direction in which the correcting unit C is driven to eliminate the torsion additionally produced in a rear portion of the travelling fabric by the rotation of the correcting unit C.

The means for driving the torsion correcting units C and C by one motor may alternatively be a fabric rotating means shown in FIG. ll. The rotating means comprises two cylindrical rotary members composed of worm wheels 51 and 51 carrying therein unillustrated fabric embracing members and a rotary shaft 56 to be driven by a motoq 55 through a belt 54 and having worms 52 and S3 acting in opposite directions, the worm wheels 51 and 51 meshing with the worms 52 and 53 respectively.

This embodiment assures outstanding effects and ad vantages to be described below in addition to the same advantages as achieved by the previous embodiment.

A partial torsion in the fabric detected by the detecting unit B is immediately corrected through the operation of the switch means by which the correcting unit C disposed just above the unit B is driven in the direction to correct the torsion for immediate correction.

Since the torsion correcting action is directly given to the twisted portion has no relation with the presence of the pulley, the torsion can be remedied very quickly.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 12, the rotation of the fabric by the torsion correcting unit C produces another torsion X in the fabric between the correcting unit C and pulley A. This torsion however is offset and eliminated by another torsion Y produced by the correcting unit C on the left in the fabric between the correcting unit C and the pulley A. More specifically, since the torsions X and Y are oriented in such directions that they will eliminate each other, the torsion X is nullified by the torsion Y which advances over the pulley A as the fabric travels forward. As a result, the torsion X does not produce any adverse effect on the fabric.

Moreover, this embodiment has the advantage that the quick correction of torsion eliminates the necessity to twist the fabric in the correcting direction to excess unlike the conventional apparatus and the embodiment previously described and therefore ensures correction of torsion without causing damage to the fabric.

The torsion detecting element of the detecting unit incorporated in the present apparatus is not limited to the disc or some other element of the rotary type but may be a travelling member of the nonrotary type having a serrate or brush-like working surface and adpated to be driven on a rail by suitable drive means longitudinally of the travelling fabric. Furthermore, the working surface of the detecting element need not necessarily be driven only in the direction opposite to the direction of travel of the fabric but may be driven in the same direction as the travel of the fabric. in this case, however, the working surface must be driven at a greater speed than the travelling fabric.

The principal embodiments, described above for illustrative purposes only, are not limitative in any way.

,Various other modifications will be apparent to one skilled in the art, all of which are to be included within the scope of this invention insofar as they do not depart from the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. An apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric comprising a torsion detecting unit disposed at a position where travelling fabric passes to detect the torsion of the fabric and a torsion correcting unit disposed in the rear of and spaced apart by a required distance from the torsion detecting unit and located at another position where the fabric passes to correct the torsion of the fabric, the torsion detecting unit including a torsion detecting element having a working surface movable positively along the surface of the travelling fabric in sliding contact therewith longitudinally thereof, the torsion correcting unit including fabric embracing means, rotary means for rotating the fabric embracing means leftward or rightward, and a drive motor for driving the rotary means, and switch means for rotating the drive motor for the torsion correcting unit in the direction to correct the torsion, the switch means being adapted to be closed in response to the detecting operation of the torsion detecting element.

2. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein the torsion detecting element comprises a rotary disc supported on a drive shaft of a motor and slidingly movable on the drive shaft of the motor axially thereof.

3. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein the torsion detecting element comprises a travelling member movable on a rail longitudinally of the travelling fabric by suitable drive means.

4. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim I wherein the working surface of the torsion detecting element is provided by a brush.

5. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein the working surface of the torsion detecting element is provided by serrate projections 6. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pulley-like fabric transporting member is interposed between the torsion detecting unit and the torsion correcting unit.

7. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pulley-like fabric transporting member is interposed between the torsion detecting unit and the torsion correcting unit and another torsion correcting unit is interposed between the transporting member and the torsion detecting unit, the latter correcting unit being operable to correct the torsion detected by the detecting unit, the former correcting unit being operable to correct a torsion produced in a rear portion of the travelling fabric by the correcting operation of the latter correcting unit 

1. An apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric comprising a torsion detecting unit disposed at a position where travelling fabric passes to detect the torsion of the fabric and a torsion correcting unit disposed in the rear of and spaced apart by a required distance from the torsion detecting unit and located at another position where the fabric passes to correct the torsion of the fabric, the torsion detecting unit including a torsion detecting element having a working surface movable positively along the surface of the travelling fabric in sliding contact therewith longitudinally thereof, the torsion correcting unit including fabric embracing means, rotary means for rotating the fabric embracing means leftward or rightward, and a drive motor for driving the rotary means, and switch means for rotating the drive motor for the torsion correcting unit in the direction to correct the torsion, the switch means being adapted to be closed in response to the detecting operation of the torsion detecting element.
 2. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein the torsion detecting element comprises a rotary disc supported on a drive shaft of a motor and slidingly movable on the drive shaft of the motor axially thereof.
 3. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein the torsion detecting element comprises a travelling member movable on a rail longitudinally of the travelling fabric by suitable drive means.
 4. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein the working surface of the torsion detecting element is provided by a brush.
 5. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein the working surface of the torsion detecting element is provided by serrate projections.
 6. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pulley-like fabric transporting member is interposed between the torsion detecting unit and the torsion correcting unit.
 7. The apparatus for detecting and correcting the torsion of a travelling fabric as set forth in claim 1 wherein a pulley-like fabric transporting member is interposed between the torsion detecting unit and the torsion correcting unit and another torsion correcting unit is interposed between the transporting member and the torsion detecting unit, the latter correcting unit being operable to correct the torsion detected by the detecting unit, the former correcting unit being operable to correct a torsion produced in a rear portion of the travelling fabric by the correcting operation of the latter correcting unit. 